Hawks add to Lions’ struggles

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Just one more game, and then this annual brutal nonconference schedule of Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s will finally come to an end.

Iowa, playing its first game since Dec. 13, didn’t seem very rusty and jumped out to a 52-15 halftime lead en route to an 86-61 win before 15,400 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday. The win helped the Hawkeyes (11-2) move from 25th to 22nd in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, which was released Monday.

UAPB (2-9), which has yet to defeat a Division I program this season, has lost nine straight.

The Golden Lions played one of their best second halves of the season in outscoring the Hawkeyes 46-34, but the Hawkeyes could not be cooled off from the floor. The Hawkeyes shot 29 of 47 (61.7 percent) from the floor, including 10 of 17 from three-point range, and converted 18 of 27 free throws (66.7 percent). For the first half alone, they made 75 percent (18 of 24) from the floor.

Iowa got a big lift from junior standout Josh Oglesby, who missed the first 12 games of the season with a foot injury. Oglesby nailed 4 of 5 three-point attempts and finished with 13 points. Jarrod Uthoff led Iowa with 16 points, hitting 6 of 8 field goals, including 3 of 4 from three-point range.

Tevin Hammond led UAPB with 19 points, five assists and two steals. Hammond hit 7 of 14 from the floor, including 4 of 9 from the arc.

Davon Haynes added 11 points and seven rebounds and Marcel Mosley had 11 points and three assists for UAPB.

As a team, the Lions did not shoot well, finishing 22 for 65 (33.8 percent) after making 6 of 32 in the first half. They went 8 for 26 from behind the arc (20.8 percent) and made 9 of 17 free throws (52.9 percent).